Have you ever failed to recognize the changes in the medical conditions of a patient and received a complaint from the Board? In such challenging situations, a nurse defense attorney may play a vital role in supporting nurses whose licenses are being scrutinized. Let’s take a look at the recent incident highlighted below and discover the importance of seeking help from a nurse attorney.
At the time of the incident, she was employed as an RN at a healthcare facility in Irving, Texas, and had been in that position for six (6) years and one (1) month.
On or about April 20, 2021, while employed as an RN at a healthcare facility in Irving, Texas, RN failed to recognize the clinical signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, appropriately intervene, and refer a patient for a higher level of care when the patient reported thirst, nausea, vomiting, and her laboratory results indicated a critically elevated blood sugar of 553 and high levels of ketones in her urine, which clinically indicated a diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis, a medical emergency. Instead, the RN prescribed Zofran and metformin, with a follow-up appointment for the next week. Subsequently, the patient became unresponsive the following day, and was emergently transported to the hospital, where she had to be transferred to another hospital for critical care related to a diagnosis of acute respiratory failure secondary to diabetic ketoacidosis with coma and severe acute pancreatitis. The patient died on April 22, 2021. RN’s conduct may have contributed to the patient’s demise.
RNs Response to the Texas Board of Nursing (BON)
The Texas Board of Nursing investigated the incident and summoned the nurse. The RN responded without even asking for legal advice from a nurse attorney. She stated that she performed a full assessment of the patient and obtained a urine specimen to determine if she was dehydrated. The RN stated that it was noted that the patient had sugar in her urine and her specific gravity was elevated, therefore an intramuscular injection of Zofran was administered to the patient to allow her to hydrate without vomiting. RN stated that she sent the patient to a laboratory for bloodwork. Then the patient was told to return to the clinic by 2:00 p.m. to be able to review the results of the bloodwork. RN stated that the patient did not return to the clinic at the requested time, so she closed her chart. Another nurse contacted the patient and the patient returned to the clinic around 3:30 p.m. The RN stated that all lab work was discussed and reviewed. She was concerned about the patient’s blood sugar level and spent a lengthy amount of time counseling her about diabetes and trying to convince her of the seriousness of the condition and the need to work on her diet and exercise, as well as weight loss. Additionally, she mentioned that the patient became very overwhelmed, and her main concern and focus was that she did not want her family to know she was diabetic. RN stated that she prescribed the patient metformin to lower her blood sugar. She later learned that the patient never picked up her prescription from the pharmacy.
Without any valid evidence to defend her side of the story, she lost the case from the board. The RN also failed to hire a Texas nurse defense attorney to provide her legal counsel and offer a strategic defense to protect her rights. As a result, the Texas Board of Nursing placed her nursing license into disciplinary action as she was found guilty of the violation of the Nursing Practice Act (NPA).
Protect your nursing license- contact a Texas Nurse Defense Attorney for legal counsel!
Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An has been practicing as a nurse defense attorney for over 18 years with a state-wide legal practice all across Texas. Contact the Law Office of Yong J. An 24/7 for a free legal consultation at (832) 428-5679.